President Jakov Milatović submitted to the Parliament of Montenegro an initiative for the adoption of a law on the rehabilitation and compensation of political prisoners from Goli Otok, Sveti Grgur and other prisons.
"With this act, we are beginning an important process of confronting the past and correcting historical injustices. Montenegro, as a democratic and legally based state, must not ignore the fact that many of our fellow citizens, due to their real or presumed political beliefs, have been exposed to repression, physical and psychological violence, without a fair trial and without the possibility of ever proving their innocence. By adopting this law, Montenegro would acknowledge their suffering and provide them with moral and legal rehabilitation and compensation," said Milatović.
He said that this initiative is not directed against anyone – but rather "for all of us."
"For the victims who had no voice, for their families who have carried the burden of stigma and silence for decades, and for Montenegro, which must find the strength to face its past and build a society based on justice and respect for human rights. As I publicly promised last year, today I am taking concrete steps to correct this dark stain from our history. That is why I call on all MPs, regardless of their political differences, to support this initiative, to support this law. In doing so, we will together confirm that Montenegro is and must be a state that stands on the defender of truth, justice and the dignity of every one of its citizens," said Milatović.
The Initiative states that, recognizing the need to confront the past and correct historical injustices, a law should be passed on the rehabilitation and compensation of Goloto prisoners suspected of supporting the Informburo Resolution of 1948.
"This initiative concerns persons who, without a fair trial and adequate evidence, based on administrative decisions or without them, were imprisoned and exposed to inhumane conditions on Goli Otok, during the period of political persecution in the former Yugoslavia, due to alleged or presumed support for the Informbiro Resolution. The adoption of this law represents not only a legal act, but also the moral responsibility of the state to recognize and compensate those who have suffered unjustly because of their real or presumed political beliefs. In this way, Montenegro would join countries in the region that have already taken similar steps to confront the past and protect human rights," the text of the Initiative states.
It was also stated that, according to available information, at least 1948 persons were imprisoned on Goli Otok, Sveti Grgur and other prisons between 1956 and 16.101, of whom as many as 3.390 were from Montenegro or 21.5%, which is proportionally by far the largest number of prisoners in relation to the population of the then Yugoslav republics. It is noted that, despite this, Montenegro remains the only country in the region (unlike Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia) that has still not adopted any legally binding act that would enable the rehabilitation and compensation of those who suffered unjustly.
"The absence of a legislative framework for the rehabilitation and compensation of these victims not only represents a legal and moral failure of the state, but also a serious deviation from basic human rights and international standards of justice. Recognizing the suffering endured by the prisoners of Goli Otok and adopting appropriate measures would be a correction of historical injustices and a step towards social reconciliation. Given that many victims have since passed away, it is necessary to ensure not only their posthumous rehabilitation, but also adequate satisfaction for their heirs, who have suffered the consequences of social discrimination and economic insecurity for years. Urgent adoption of this law would allow, albeit with a great delay, to respect the basic principles of justice and humanity," the Initiative submitted to Parliament states.
The only official act adopted in Montenegro so far that deals with the issue of moral and legal compensation for political prisoners is the Declaration on the Condemnation of Violations of Human Rights and Abuse of Power, adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro on 16 January 1992. With this declaration, the Parliament condemned “the gross violation of human rights and freedoms, the arrests and abuse of innocent people, the terror against convicts on Goli Otok and other notorious camps and prisons, which, as its tragic consequence, had a number of innocent victims, long-term labeling and undeserved persecution of a large number of people” and at the same time undertook to provide “moral and legal satisfaction” to all of them.
"Considering examples from the region, such as Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, which have regulated the issue of rehabilitation and compensation for victims of political persecution in the former Yugoslavia through the legislative framework, I believe that it is high time that Montenegro also regulates this issue through the adoption of a special law, which will be preceded by a broad and inclusive public debate with the participation of the professional public, representatives of the academic community, organizations dealing with the protection of human rights and representatives of the families of the victims of Goli Otok. In this way, a transparent process would be ensured, which would finally enable the rehabilitation and compensation of all victims of political repression, as well as the fulfillment of the promise made back in 1992. Additionally, I propose that the basis for starting work on this law be taken as a model law, namely the Draft Law on the Annulment of Judgments, Decisions, Acts and Actions of State Bodies of the Republic of Montenegro and the FNRY Issued to Persons Suspected of Supporting the Informbiro Resolution of 1948, which I am submitting with this initiative, and which was prepared back in 2006 by the Citizens' Association "Goli Otok" with additional consideration of all aspects that "should be included in the future law, such as the definition of beneficiaries of the law, the scope of rights they are entitled to, the procedure for the rehabilitation of victims and the determination of their status and the amount of their compensation," the Milatović Initiative states.
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